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Transcript/Script ((ANCHOR INTRO))
The Pacific Islands Forum has welcomed back Kiribati after the island nation withdrew more than 6 months ago from the key regional group under pressure from Beijing. As VOA’s Jessica Stone reports, the Pacific Islands are again unified just as Washington moves forward with its own negotiations with the region.
((TAKE PKG
L3: Jessica Stone, VOA Correspondent
L3: Sitiveni Rabuka, Fiji's prime minister and forum chairman
L3: Dan Kritenbrink, U.S. Asst. Secretary of State for East Asian & Pacific Affairs
TRT:2:35
OC: VOA NEWS, WASHINGTON))
NEGOTIATIONS ARE ACTIVELY UNDERWAY BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND THE LEADERS OF THREE PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS: PALAU, THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS AND THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA – TO RENEW A COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION.
(TAKE VO)
THE THREE ISLAND NATIONS HAVE ALL SIGNED A FRAMEWORK FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH WASHINGTON THAT WILL SEE THE U.S. GUARANTEEING THEM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT’S KNOWN AS STRATEGIC DENIAL – THAT IS THE ABILITY FOR THE U.S. TO BLOCK OTHER COUNTRIES FROM GETTING MILITARY ACCESS TO THESE ISLANDS.
YOU MAY RECALL THESE PACIFIC ISLANDS PLAYED A STRATEGIC ROLE IN THE ALLIED MILITARY VICTORIES OVER JAPAN DURING WORLD WAR II.
ONCE FINALIZED, THE COMPACT WILL BRING PALAU, MICRONESIA, AND THE MARSHALL ISLANDS CLOSER TO THE U.S. AS CHINA IS VYING FOR CLOSER TIES IN THE REGION.
ON TUESDAY, THE TOP ASIA OFFICIAL AT THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT TOLD THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THAT HE’S COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THE COMPACT NEGOTIATIONS.
(TAKE SOT)
DAN KRITENBRINK: <You may have seen, Congressman, that we have concluded MOU’s with all 3 of the freely associated states and we look forward to working with Congress to concluding those deals.:58>
(TAKE JESSICA)
WASHINGTON IS STRENGTHENING TIES WITH THE REGION JUST AS KIRABATI FORMALLY RETURNED TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM.
(TAKE VO)
((COURTESY: Government of Fiji))
AN HONOR GUARD GREETED KIRABATI’S PRESIDENT TANETI MAAMAU WHEN HE ARRIVED IN FIJI FOR A LEADERS’ RETREAT IN LATE FEBRUARY.
KIRIBATI DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM EARLIER THIS YEAR AFTER FIJI’S PRIME MINISTER – THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE BLOCK – FORMALLY APOLOGIZED FOR NOT HEEDING KIRIBATI’S CONCERNS ABOUT THE GROUP’S LEADERSHIP.
MAAMAU INFORMED THE FORUM LAST JULY THAT KIRIBATI WOULD BE LEAVING, DEALING A BLOW TO THE REGION’S STRATEGY TO REMAIN UNITED AS CHINA AND THE U.S. COMPETE FOR REGIONAL INFLUENCE.
IN LATE FEBRUARY, FIJI’S PRIME MINISTER STRESSED THAT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS MUST REMAIN UNITED IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND GEOPOLITICAL PRESSURES.
(TAKE SOT)
Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister, Fiji: <9:07 The regional architecture cannot survive without the relational structure of our family. Reflection on the last few days, meeting as family, I urge us all to be wary of the dark clouds ahead. :43>
(TAKE JESSICA)
THESE PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS NOW FACE THE CLASSIC QUANDRY AS MANY OTHER NATIONS THROUGHOUT ASIA – HOW TO BALANCE RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES.
JESSICA STONE, VOA NEWS, WASHINGTON.
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